MANI @ SUBRAMANIYAM Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Leave granted.

(2.) The present appeal arises out of the impugned judgment and order dtd. 13/8/2024, passed by the High Court of Judicature at Madras, in Criminal Appeal No.800 of 2018, whereby the High Court partly allowed the appeal preferred by the appellant-convict. However, while partly confirming judgment passed by the Special Court for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (Principal Sessions Court), Erode [ Hereinafter referred to as the 'Trial Court'.], in Special Case No.19 of 2018, the High Court vide the impugned order acquitted the appellant of offences under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015 [ 'SCST Act 2015' for short.] and modified the sentence awarded to the appellant in the following manner: <IMG>JUDGEMENT_53_LAWS(SC)7_2026_1.jpg</IMG>

(3.) The case of the prosecution, in brief, is that on 22/8/2017, an altercation allegedly took place between the appellant and Ramasamy, complainant 's brother-in-law, over a land dispute. Two days thereafter, on 24/8/2017 at about 10:45 A.M., the appellant alleged to have quarrelled with and abused the complainant 's nephew (PW-4) over the said land dispute. When the complainant (PW-1) intervened and confronted the appellant, the latter allegedly used obscene words and caste-based slurs against him. It is further alleged that the appellant, thereafter, brought a billhook (M.O.1) from his house and assaulted PW-1 on his forehead, nose and left thumb, inflicting multiple injuries. PW-1 was immediately rushed to the Government Hospital, Bhavani, where he was examined by Dr. R. Dhinakar (PW-2), a Senior Civil Surgeon.